“Conditions worsened despite our belief that they would remain stable”

Ladies' Golf Union statement

A Ladies' Golf Union statement read: "It would have been unfair to those competitors not to cancel all scores for the round in question at Hoylake."

With conditions failing to improve play will restart at 06:50 BST on Saturday.

The forecast is for the wind to die down a little overnight at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

Organisers, in an attempt to finish the tournament on Sunday as planned, have decided to reduce the number of players who will make the cut.

Usually those who are in 65th place, or a share of 65th, go on to play the final two rounds.

Now though, only the top 50 and ties will survive - leading to the possibility that the final two rounds can be squeezed in on Sunday before darkness falls.

This may depend on precisely how many players survive the cut - if there are too many the event is likely to spill into Monday.

Karen Stupples, England's last winner of the title in 2004, was among the 48 players who started their second rounds. She described the conditions as "laughable".

Compatriot Felicity Johnson, the joint leader early in the first round, shot a nine on the par-four first and was eight over after three holes when the players were brought in shortly after 08:00 on Friday.

So Yeon Ryu, who
shared the overnight lead
with fellow South Korean Haeji Kang on two under, bogeyed the par five 10th, the only hole she managed as she started her second round on the back nine.

American Cristie Kerr saw her ball blown off the tee three times at the 12th.

The LGU statement added: "The competitors began their round in extremely adverse weather conditions and conditions subsequently worsened despite our belief that they would remain stable."

Scores being made null and void is not unprecedented in major golf. Seve Ballesteros won his third Open title at Royal Lytham on a Monday in 1988 after scores on the Saturday were wiped out because of bad weather.

Comments

the woman cant handle the wind, yes they hit good straight shots but there is no power or penatration. these weather conditions sort out them men from the boys and there aint non of them out there. still it means they get some good time in front of the mirror.

Forgetting silly sexist comments about hair, it was too windy and yes even men's tour round would have been cancelled. I am a male playing off a plus handicap (under par) and the top ladies pro golfers would beat me ; they are so consistent around the greens and knock their drives past 5 handicapper males - please no more obtuse posts after beer o'clock

You can't expect amateurs or pros to play in conditions where the ball won't even stay stationary for striking. Totally the right decision, though I agree scheduling it in early Autumn on the coast is asking for difficult conditions to create problems.

It was moved from late July because of the Olympics, but I don't see why.

Plenty of other sports managed to keep their normal schedule (including the U.S PGA) without a problem. But if they had to move the date why didn't they plan ahead and play this years tournament at (for example) Sunningdale or Wentworth as the weather was always going to be an issue?

I played at Gullane 2 in an horrendous wind last Wednesday and it is totally wrong to expect professionals to play in those conditions,apart from anything else putting becomes impossible as the ball oscillates and is likely to move after comimg to rest,fortunately the next couple of days will see the wind moderating.

Agree with El Chavo del 8 comment that the adverse conditions can result in the winner of a golf competition being a lottery.

However, completely disagree about Andy Murray. He's had to get better to compete with the other top players and has proved it by getting to the Wimbledon final and winning an Olympic gold medal in perfect conditions. He totally deserved to win his first major in the US.

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